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30 November 2023 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Nomasonto Skosana
Dr Maréve Biljohn

In a proactive move to address the escalating issue of substance abuse in Mangaung, the Public Service Commission (PSC) partnered with the University of the Free State (UFS) to host a roundtable discussion. The event, held on 23 November 2023 at the Centenary Complex on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, brought together key stakeholders, including Gadija Brown (MEC for Finance in the Free State), Dr Henk Boshoff (Commissioner of the PSC in the Free State), and Dr Maréve Biljohn (Head of Department for Public Administration and Management in the EMS Faculty at the UFS). Also present were representatives from Mangaung communities and various government bodies.  

Addressing the root cause

The primary objective of the roundtable was to collaboratively devise effective solutions to combat the growing challenge of substance abuse in Mangaung. Sisa Mlisana, Provincial Director of the PSC, highlighted the link between high crime rates and drug abuse, emphasising the need for a strategic approach to address these issues.  The initiative stemmed from a citizen’s forum hosted by the PSC in 2022, aiming to establish a connection between community members and government, particularly emphasising the correlation between substance abuse and crime.

Dr Boshoff elaborated on the purpose of the roundtable, emphasising the gathering of inputs from all the participants. The engagement session facilitated a dialogue between community members and a panel of officials, including representatives from the Free State Provincial Government, South African Police Service, Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Department of Social Development, Department of Education, Department of Health, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) in the Free State. This forum allowed community members from various organisations to express their concerns and experiences regarding living in areas affected by substance abuse, with the panel providing insights and responses. 

Challenges and solutions

Community members voiced concerns about the presence of drugs in their communities not officially recognised as illegal in South Africa, leading to challenges in legal proceedings against dealers and consumers with those perpetrators being acquitted. However, the discussion also yielded potential solutions, with some community members expressing a willingness to actively participate in street-level interventions.  

Notably, recovered drug addicts present at the roundtable shared their success stories and commitment to being part of the solution. Gadija Brown commended their efforts and celebrated their triumph over substance abuse. 

Resolutions and commitments

As the discussion progressed, a comprehensive plan of action was formulated, encompassing grievances and solutions from both parties. Dr Boshoff described the plan as a binding roadmap with tangible and practical resolutions. The PSC pledged to monitor and ensure the implementation of commitments made during the roundtable discussions. 
Gadija Brown: MEC for Finance in the Free State.
Gadija Brown: MEC for Finance in the Free State.
Dr C Van Wyk: Programme Director; Department of Social Work at the UFS.
Dr C Van Wyk: Programme Director; Department of Social Work at the UFS.
The audience is provided an opportunity to engage with the panel.
The audience is provided an opportunity to engage with the panel.
The government officials which formed part of the panel engagement session.
The government officials which formed part of the panel engagement session.
From left to right: Sisa Mlisana: Provincial Director of the PSC and Dr Henk Boshoff: Commissioner of the PSC in the Free State.
From left to right: Sisa Mlisana: Provincial Director of the PSC and Dr Henk Boshoff: Commissioner of the PSC in the Free State.

News Archive

Lottery grant will boost public art at UFS
2009-05-25

 
 Public art at the UFS will get a major boost with money made available by the National Lottery Board. Here are Dr Ivan van Rooyen, Director: UFS Marketing, Ms Nontombi Ntakakaze (Artists in School Project) and Mr Ben Botma (Head of Department: Fine Arts) at one of the existing works of art by Edoardo Villa on the Bloemfontein Campus. 
Photo: Leatitia Pienaar.
Emerging and established artists will showcase their work in a comprehensive public sculpture project on the campuses of the University of the Free State (UFS). The aim is to create a greater understanding of cultural differences and promote the UFS vision of a truly multilingual, non-sexist, non-racial campus, says Dr Ivan van Rooyen, Director: UFS Marketing.

The National Lottery Board has approved a grant of R4,125 million in total for three major projects, one of which is the public sculpture project. The others are a Khoe-San Early Learning Centre pilot project in Heidedal, and a boost for the Artists in Schools project, which is already underway.

Dr Van Rooyen says one way of promoting the UFS vision is to create an alternative environment and provide visible, tangible symbols of change and transformation. This will enrich the educational and cultural experience of students and visitors to the campus by stimulating intercultural dialogue and providing a setting for historical dialogue between past and future.

The dream of the UFS is to inspire a sense of ownership of the campus of an open university, worthy of a democratic South Africa. “Therefore, a large-scale project of national significance has been conceptualised, where the development of infrastructure will involve the creation and acquisition of major South African art works for the long-term benefit of all South Africans,” Dr Van Rooyen says.

The public sculpture project will be implemented over the next few years. Artists will be commissioned as funds become available. The UFS will also consult extensively with local and national art museums with experience in the public art field. A wide spectrum of artists, especially artists from the black community, will be used.

Dr Van Rooyen says that many black artists have not had an opportunity to exhibit public sculptures because of prohibitive costs and the project will empower them to develop their skills. The project makes provision for both established and emerging artists to showcase their work.

The aim of the Khoe-San Early Learning Centre pilot project is to compile a curriculum that is sensitive to multiculturalism and multilingualism. The centre will be the first in the country and will respond to the need to promote and revitalise Khoe-San languages. Using arts and crafts and storytelling, as well as literacy, numeracy and life skills, children will learn to adapt to their environment and contribute to our diverse society. This centre will be a collaborative venture between the Heidedal community and the UFS.

Finally, the Artists in Schools project, which has been running successfully since 2004, will also receive a boost from the Lottery funding. Through a series of workshops that the Department of Fine Arts presents at schools, participants develop functional art products with a distinctive Free State character. These products are marketed and sold to benefit the artists, designers and craftspeople.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za
25 May 2009
 

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